Ex-police Chief Wins Court Fight

February 14, 1985

A Du Page County Circuit Court judge has reversed a finding by the Addison Board of Police and Fire Commissioners that former Police Chief Alexander Gorr broke police department rules by not reporting several pranks by policemen in which people were ``shot`` with blank ammunition. A local reporter, the target of one of the pranks, suffered powder burns when he was

``shot`` by a policeman who pretended to be irate. Judge Robert Nolan ruled that the charges against Gorr were improperly drafted and that the board did not have authority over Gorr`s actions as chief. Gorr was chief when the pranks occurred, in October, 1983, and he and eight policemen were charged by the police board in connection with the incidents. He was demoted and later fired before filing a suit seeking an administrative review of the ruling. Nolan will consider an order on March 5 seeking Gorr`s return to active duty.